Apparatus for lasting footwear



April', 1948. i. s. KAMBORIAN 2,438,917

APPARATUS Fon LAsITIne FoomAn I med Dacpso, 1943 2 sheets-snaai 11 April 6, 1948'. J.-'s. 'KAMBQRIAN 2,438,917

' Y APPARATUS Fon LAsTING FOOTWEAR ruega-nec. so, 194:5 y2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUBFOBLABTINGFOOTWEAB .1mb s. mman, wat Newton, ma. summum um so, im, sei-uu No. mit:

` This invention pertains to the manufacture of footwear and relates more particularly to an improved apparatus for use in lasting shoes or the like. T'he United States patents to Kamborian Nos. 2,251,284, August 5, 1941, and 2,254,224. Septemper 2, 1941, respectively disclose improved apparatus for and a method of lasting shoes and suggests the employment of means, for particular instance a pair of helically ribbed rolls, for gril)- ping the margin of the upper and exerting positive stress such as to draw the upper snugly about the last while at the same time causing the point is cnam. (ci. 1er-'n of application of such stress to be displaced pro-l` gressively along the margin of the last bottom. the marginal material being wiped in by wiping means, for specific instance a rapidly vibrating reciprocating wiper, which engages the stressed material and urges it inwardly across the edge of the insole. The United States patentto Kamborian No. 2,314,047, March 16,1943, discloses how, by holding the shoe at the proper angle, similar results to those above described may be obtained by the use of `upper gripping rolls which are not helically ribbed but this patent again suggests the employment of a vibratory wiper.

Attempts `have heretofore been made to modify the above-described patented apparatus by sub--v stituting a disk-like rotating wiping element for the vibratory wiper. However, for lasting deepshank shoes the use of such a disk is impracticable. In order to be effective for performing the wiping function, such a disk must be of substantial diameter, for example threeinches or more and while a disk of this diameter may perhaps be permissible in lasting certain types of shoes it occupies so much space adjacent to the upper gripping and stressing means as to interfere with the proper manipulation of shoes, for example of the deep-shank type. Moreover, at best, the disk type wiper exerts but little actual in-wiping stress.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for lasting footwear in which the underlying principle of the aforesaid Kamborian patents isutilized, that is to say, the application of lasting stress in such a way that the point of stress is progressedjuninterruptedly from point to point along the periphery of the last but wherein a substantiallyuninterrupted stress is also applied by a constantly rotating wiping element of such construction that it does not interfere with proper manipulation of shoes of any standard type, including those having deep Shanks. A further object is to provide means of simple, effective and inexpensive type for performing the in-wiping operation. A

further object is to provide an improved wiper `element useful in lasting machines of other types than those disclosed in the aforesaid Kamborian patents and which, in fact, is of general utility. Otherand further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in vertical section, showing the left-hand side of the machine: w

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, with certain parts omitted, showing the upper tensioning or lasting rolls:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section, substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. showing the vrelative positions of the lasting rolls. wiper and shoe during the last operation;

` Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of machine, partly in vertical i section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation to larger scale illustrating a preferred form of wiper;

Fig. 5 is a generally similar view showing the wiper of modified construction; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another form of wiper.

The present improvements are here illustrated as embodied in a machine of the kind disclosed in `the United States patent to Kamborian 2,251,285,` dated August 5, 1941, to which reference may be had for details of construction not herein specifically illustrated. In the accompanying drawings the numeral I designates a hollow postor standard on top of which is mounted the the frame 2, 2* in which are provided bearings for' most of the operative instrumentalities.

Mounted on the frame 2 is an electric motor l having a shaft 8 carrying a grooved pulley 1 which is engaged by a belt 8 passing about a grooved pulley 9 on the horizontal shaft |06 which corresponds to the similarly numbered shaft of the Kamborian patent Just above referredito. This shaft `|08 has bearings inthe main frame 2 and in the forward portion 2 of theiframe. This latter portion of the frame overhangs the front wall of the post I (as shown in Fig. 1)` so as to present the 'lasting instrumentalities in proper position for engagement with the shoe while affording sulcient clearance between the post and the shoe which is being lasted.

Adjacent to its forward bearing the shaft I is provided with a worm (not shown) which mesheswith a worm wheel on a vertical shaft (not shown)` turning in iixedbearings and progripping lasting roll ||3 which is preferably provided with a helical peripheral rib. Cooperating with the roll ||3 is a roll ||4 preferably of somewhat smaller diameter than the roll ||3 and also preferably furnished with a helical peripheral rib. Preferably, although not necessarily, the lower end of the roll ||4 is furnished with a rounded or substantially hemishpherical boss H4* designed to engage the bottom of the insole of the shoe during the lasting operation, thereby to resist upward stress of the lasting rolls.

The helical ribs of the rolls ||3 and |l4 are of opposite pitch so that when the rolls are turned oppositely and in the proper direction any material gripped between the rolls is subjected to an upward pull. By making the roll ||4 of somewhat smaller diameter than the roll ||3 the lasting of the shank and toe portions of the shoe is facilitated.

The roll H4 is fixed to the lower end of a shaft ||5 to the upper end of which is secured a worm (not shown) which is always in mesh with the aforementioned worm carried by the shaft |06. However, the shaft ||5 is mounted in bearings carried by ya movable slide member ||1* which comprises an elongate horizontal portion arranged to slide in guideways rwithin the post or standard 2 and which is constantly urged rearwardly by springs (not shown), thus tending to cause the rolls ||3 and ||4 to approach. On the other hand the rolls may be moved apart to facilitate introduction of the upper material between them by depressing a treadle (not shown) where motion is suitably transmitted to the slide member ||1 so that depression of the treadle causes the slide member to move to the right (Fig. 1) thereby separating the rolls ||3 and ||4 to facilitate introduction of the margin of the upper between them. l

In accordance with the present invention, the vibratory wiper of Patent 2,251,285 and the means for operating it are omitted and replaced by a novel rotary wiper. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 the forward face 2b of the frame member 2 is shown as provided with guide brackets |20 furnishing a vertically elongate guideway for the reception of a bearing-supporting slide l2 .l This slide is provided with an upwardly extending tail portion or stem |2|Il which passes through an opening in a horizontal sh'elf |22 forming part of a bracket |23, secured to the frame, the stem |2| having a threaded end engaged by a nut, |24 which limits downward movement of the bearing support 2| A coiled-spring |25 embracing the stem |2| urges the bearing support downwardly. At its lower end the bearing support |2| carries a bearing sleeve |26 whose axis, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is inclined in the horizontal plane at an angle of the order of 20 to the vertical plane f forward end a truncated conical roll |29 provided with a helical Vperipheral rib |30. The rotary wiper |28 of which the rib |30 is the active wiping element, tapers from its rear end toward its forward end and inclinesdownwardly and forwardly. Since the shaft 21 is mounted in the vertically slidable bearing support |2| it is possible for the wiper |28 to move upwardly in response to pressure ofthe work beneath it.

'I'he shaft |21 is furnished at its rear end with a spherical knob |32 which is seated in a socket member |33. A spherical knob at the forward end of a shaft |34 is also seated in the socket member |33 so as to provide a universal joint by means of which the shaft |21 may be driven regardless of the position of the bearing |26. The shaft |34 (Fig. 1) turns in bearings |35 secured to the under side of the frame 2, the shaft being provided with a pulley |36 which is engaged by the drive belt |31 embracing the pulley |38 on the shaft of a motor |39 having a base |40 (Fig. 3) which is secured to the -inner vertical surface of the hollow post I. The motor |39 together with the drive connections between it and the shaft |21 is designed to rotate the shaft |21 at high speed, for example a speed of the order of 1800 revolutions per minute.

In the operation of the machine and assuming that the motors 5 and |39 are supplied with current and that the shafts |06 and l|3|| are rotating in the proper direction, the operator depresses the treadle thereby moving the rolls ||3 and ||4 apart and introduces the margin of the shoe upper between them. While such operation of the rolls is convenient, skilled operators may find it possible to introduce the upper material between the rolls without manipulation of the treadle. 'I'he operation of the rolls ||3 and ||4 in up-drawing the marginal material of the upper is identical with that of the corresponding rolls of the aforementioned Kamborian patents. As the material is stressed 'by the action of the rolls, the helical rib |30 of the wiper |28 progressively forces the stressed material inwardly over the edge of the insole as fast as the material is released from the grip of the rolls. It will be noted that by reason of the helical form of the Wiper element, the in-wviping is a progressive operation, the helical rib engaging the material and gradually pushing it inwardly without disengaging it so that there is no chance for the material to retract and it is thus laid smoothly `and firmly down against the insole under substantially the full tension imparted by the operation of the rolls 3 and 4. Il; maybe remarked at this point that the tensioning effect of the rolls I3 and |4 may to acertain extent be varied by manipulation of the shoe while the up-drawing action is taking place, as by causing the bottom of the last to be inclined substantially with respect to the plane of the lower ends of the rolls. The updrawing action may be thus increased even to the extentl that lasting may be accomplished by the use .of rolls unprovided with helical ribs as more particularly suggested in the Kamborian Patent No. 2,314,047.

In accordance with the present invention not only is the up-drawing of the margin ofthe upper a progressive operation in which thepoint of stress moves uninterruptedly along the margin of the insole, but the iii-wiping is al of asimilar progressive uninterrupted charact r quite different from that occasioned by the employment of a reciprocating wiper such as that of the previously mentioned Kamborian patents,

Since the rotary wiper |28 as herein disclosed wipes in the marginal material by the application of force applied axially of the wiper and since the wiper is of truncated conical form, quite small at its inner end, for example tapering from a diameter of five-eighths inch at its larger end to adiameter of the order of three-eighths inch, at its smaller end, it is readilypossible with this apparatus to last shoes of all types, even those having very deep shanks, since the presence of the ,wiper does not interfere with the proper manipulation of the shoe. Obviously, the dimensions of the wiper may be varied if desired from those here suggested.

Since the wiper is urged downwardly with substantial force by the spring and since it must be lifted by upward pressure of the work against it in order properly to engage the margin of the upper between the rolls, the wiper is always applying force, during operation, toward the shoe bottom and thus irons the inwiped material firmly down into secure inner sole.

- While the wiper shown in Fig. 4 is preferred, it is contemplated that a wiper |28?L such as .shown in Fig. 5 may be employed, the latter being of .skeleton form, omitting the solid supporting roll |29 of the wiper |28 and merely employing an open rigid helix |3|ll as the wiping ele- `ment. 'I'his rigid helix may consist of a length of smoothly polished rigid wire secured at its opposite ends to the shaft |21. In Fig. 6 a still further type of wiper is illustrated wherein the roll |29b is furnished with a helical groove |30b instead of a helical projecting rib.

While wipers such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are contemplated as useful for the purpose and `while the wiper |28 of Fig. 4 is a preferred construction, it-is contemplated that wipers of other specific constructions may be employed within the/scope of the present invention providing they are designed to affect progressive in-wiping action such as is obtained by the employment of the specifically illustrated wipers. y

, It maybe noted that in the operation of the wiper here disclosed the application of stress to the tensioned upper always takes place lat a point in the helical rib and that the direction of effective in-wiping stress is always substantially parallel to the axis of the helix. It is further to be noted that the axis of the helix lies in a plane which transects the bottom of the shoe and that, when in action, the lowermost element of the helix.` or of the supporting roll |29 is `substantially parallel to the surface of the insole. It is also to be noted that as the shoe is moved relatively to the rolls, the axis of the helix is progressively shifted by infinitesimal amounts along the periphery of the last bottomconcomitantly with pended claims reference is made to the progres-` sive shift of the wiper along the periphery of the last bottom, it is to be understood that this is broadly inclusive of arrangements in which the shoe is bodily moved or in which the wiper eleadhesive engagement with the` While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated by way of example it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. In a lasting machine. of the kind having upper gripping means, including a rotating workengaging roll, designed to stretch the upper snugly about the last and wherein the point of application of the stretching force is progressively shifted relatively to the last along the periphery of the last. a tapering rotating wiper having a helical wiping element, means for rotating the wiper, and means for supporting the wiper so that its point of effective engagement with the work is progressively shifted relatively to the last concomitantly with the shift in the point at which the pulling stress is applied.

2. In `a, lasting machine of the kind having upper gripping means, including a rotating workengaging roll, designed to stretch the upper snugly about thelast and wherein the point of application of the stretching force is progressively shifted relativ/ely to the last along the periphery of the last, a rotating wiper having a work-impelling rib of tapering helical form with its small- Q er end directed toward the gripping means, means ment is bodily moved while the shoe remains stai for rotating the wiper, and yielding bearing means for the Wiper, the wiper being so located and arranged that the point of application of impelling stress is progressively shifted relatively to the last concomitantlywith the shift in the point at which pulling stress is applied.

3. In a lasting machine, a rotating shaft `and means for turning it always in the same direction, a wiper operative to lay the lastingmargin of the shoe upper down upon the bottom of a sole member, said wiper comprising ak body portion of circular transverse section and a helical workimpelling element and means connecting the wiper to said rotating shaft whereby the wiper continuously rotates about the axis of the helical impelling element, the wiper being arranged to expand inwardly over said lasting margin of the shoe and being operative progressively and uninterruptedly to apply in-.wiping stress to the lasting margin.

4. In a lasting machine a rotating shaft and means for turning it always in the same direction, a wiper comprising a body portion of circular transverse section and a helical work-impelling portion, and flexible means for transmitting motion from the rotating shaft to the wiper whereby the wiper is rotated constantly, and

means for shifting the position of the axis of rotation of the wiper along a path substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wiper.

5. In a lasting machine an elongate rotatable wiper and a bearing in which it turns, the wiper having a body portion provided with -a helical work-impelling element, means operative to shift the position of. the bearing along a path substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wiper, and means operative to rotate the wiper about the axis of the helical wiping element, regardless of the position of the bearing.

6. In a lasting machine a rotatable wiper comprising a body portion providing a helical workimpelling element, the wiper also comprising a journal portion, a bearing for the Journal portion of the wiper, means guiding the bearingfor movement in a path substantially perpendicular to and transecting the axis of rotation of the wiper, and means for turning the wiper regardless of the position of the bearing.

7. In a lasting machine a rotatable wiper comprising a body portion providing a helical workimpelling element, the wiper also comprising a i journal portion, a bearing for the journal portion of the wiper, the bearing being bodily movable in a direction intersecting the axis of rotation of the wiper, means operative to rotate the wiper regardless of the position of the bearing, and resilient means urging the bearing in a direction such as to cause the wiper to approach the last bottom.

9. A wiper for use in lasting machines adapted to lay the lasting margin of the shoe upper down upon the bottom of the sole, said wiper having a frusto-conical body portion and a helical Work impelling element carried by the body portion and acting upon the lasting margin in a" direction parallel to the axis of the helical element.

10. A wiper for use in lasting machines, said wiper comprising a tapering body portion of circular transverse section, said body portion having therein a helical groove.

11. A machine for lasting shoes which includes means for gripping the lasting margin of the upper and stretching the upper snugly about the last, and a rotating helical wiper element operative uninterruptedly to engage said margin after it leaves said gripping means and uninterruptedly to Wipe the margin inwardly transversely of the edge of the last and down upon the bottom of the sole carried by the last.

12. A machine for lasting shoes which includes means for gripping the lasting margin of the upper and stretching the upper snugly about the last, and a rotatable wiper whose axis of rotation is progressively shifted relative to the last, said wiper including a helical element coaxial with the axis of rotation of the wiper, which element engages the said margin after it leaves the gripping means and uninterruptedly wipes the margin down upon the bottom of the sole carried by the last.

13. A machine for lasting shoes which" includes a pair of rolls for gripping the lasting margin of the upper and' stretching the upper snugly about the last, vertical shafts at the lower ends of which said rolls are carried, and a rotating wiper whose axis transects the bottom of the shoe, said wiper including a helical element whose axis is coaxial with the axis of the wiper, and whose lowermost element is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the sole carried by the last, said element acting upon said lasting margin, after it leaves the gripping rolls, uninterruptedly to wipe it down upon the bottom surface of the sole.

14. A machine for lasting shoes which includes means for gripping the lasting margin of the upper and stretching the upper snugly about the last, a rotating helical wiper elementI operative to engage said margin after it leaves said gripping means and to wipe the margin down upon the bottom of the sole carried by the last, and a. vertically slidable support for said wiper element adapted to resist yieldably any upward pressure of the shoe during the wiping operation.

15. A machine for lasting shoes which includes, in combination, means for gripping the lasting margin of the upper while stress is being applied to draw the upper snugly about the last, a rotating helical wiper element operative to engage the said margin which has been stressed and to Wipe said margin down upon the bottom of a sole carried by the last, and means supporting said wiping element for bodily movement in a path substantially perpendicular to the axis oi rotation of the wiper.

16. In a lasting machine designed to lay the lasting margin of a shoe upper down upon the bottom of a sole, in combination, a rotating shaft and means for turning it always in the same direction, a wiper comprising an elongate body portion embraced by a helical work-impelling element, arranged to extend inwardly over said lasting margin, and means connecting'the wiper to said rotating shaft, whereby the wiper rotates about the axis of its helical work-impelling element thereby progressively and uninterruptedly applying wiping stress to the lasting margin of a shoe presented in position for engagement by the wiper.

17. A wiper for use in lasting machines designed to lay the lasting margin of the shoe upper down upon the bottom of a sole member, said wiper being arranged to extend inwardly over said lasting margin and comprising an elongate body portion and a helical Work-impelling element embracing the body.porticn, said workimpelling element being operative uninterruptedly to urge that portion of the lasting margin with which it is engaged in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the helical element.

18. A wiper for use in lasting machines designed to lay the lasting margin of the shoe upper down upon the bottom of a sole member, said wiper being arranged to extend inwardly over said lasting margin and comprising an elongate body portion of circular transverse section and a helical, peripheral Work-engaging rib embracing said body portion, said work-engaging rib being operative uninterruptedly to urge that portion of the lasting margin withwhich it is engaged in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the helical work-engaging rib.

JACOB S. KAMBORIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi.' record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,254,224 Kamborlan Sept. 2, 1941 1,387,763 Casgrain Aug. 16, 1921 2,251,284 Kamborlan Aug. 5, 1941 2,251,285 Kamborlan Aug. 5, 1941 2,286,362 Hammann June 16, 1942 2,298,390 Lawson Oct. 13, 1942- 2,314,047 Kamborlan Mar. 16, 1943 2,326,193` Baker Aug. 10, 1943 896,873 Wentworth Aug. 25, 1908 1,356,540 McFeely Oct. 26, 1920 1,400,816 Hadaway Dec. 20, 1921 1,541,875 Varney June 16, 1925 2,029,533 Kinney Feb. 4, 1936 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,438,917. April 6, 1948.

JACOBS. KAMBORIAN It is hereby certified that error appears in thecprnted specification of theabove numbered patent requirin correction as follows: olumn 6, line 45, claim 3, for the wor expand" read ezte and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this :correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ce. i

Signed and sealed this 1st day of June, A. 1948.

[Ilm] THoMAs F. MURPHY,

Assistant'mmnsionerof K t 

